Reliance Jio has backed Bharti Airtel's use of 5G network slicing in submissions made to the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology (IT) reviewing potential net neutrality concerns around Airtel's 'Priority Postpaid' offering. According to Jio's submission dated May 25, the telecom operator told the committee that 5G network slicing-based services are compatible with India's net neutrality framework, while stressing that rollout of consumer offerings such as priority postpaid plans should take place only in concurrence with and after consultation with the telecom department. The company clarified it was not commenting on the implementation details of any particular operator's service and had confined its remarks to the broader issue of 'Network Slicing Vs Net Neutrality'.
Jio argued that network slicing does not involve discriminatory treatment of internet traffic, addressing concerns raised around whether priority-based connectivity services could create unequal internet access for users. As reported by NDTV Profit, the submission comes as the government examines Airtel's recently launched 'Priority Postpaid' service, which uses 5G network slicing technology to provide more stable connectivity during periods of network congestion. The service is designed to improve network stability during crowded conditions without degrading internet quality for prepaid or non-priority users. According to Jio's latest submission, network slicing capabilities in 5G Standalone (SA) networks would remain fully compliant with net neutrality regulations as long as general internet access services are neither degraded in quality nor curtailed in availability, and no content-based differential charging is imposed.
Earlier, Bharti Airtel had told the DoT panel that its offering does not breach India's net neutrality framework because it neither blocks, throttles nor prioritises any specific applications, websites or content — the three core parameters typically used to assess violations. According to NDTV Profit, Airtel reportedly maintained that the service is designed to improve network stability during crowded conditions without degrading internet quality for prepaid or non-priority users. The company also told the panel that even after the rollout of the service, non-priority and prepaid customers would continue to have access to nearly 60% spare network capacity. In its latest submission to the Parliamentary committee, Airtel said 'Priority Postpaid has been expressly designed to remain within India's net-neutrality framework' and involves 'no blocking, throttling or preferential treatment' of any content or application. The company also committed to transparency and continued engagement with regulators, including sharing live network performance data to demonstrate that user experience remains unaffected across subscriber categories.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology held a sitting on Tuesday to review 'Quality of Service (QoS) Standards and Consumer Protection in Telecom Sector' with a special focus on net neutrality, during which officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) briefed members on the issue. The committee sought clarification on Airtel Postpaid Priority Plans amid ongoing regulatory debate around premium 5G connectivity services enabled through network slicing technology. As reported by NDTV Profit, on the policy front, Airtel also cautioned that restricting the use of advanced 5G capabilities such as network slicing could hurt India's future 6G ambitions and innovation in next-generation telecom services. The government is examining whether such services could create unequal internet access for different user categories, with Jio noting that the government, if required, could examine the 'specific technical arrangements, network configuration parameters, QoS thresholds, and SLA terms' associated with network slicing-based offerings to assess their conformity with net neutrality principles and the applicable regulatory framework.
